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{{Short description|Greek island in the North Aegean Sea}}
{{Infobox Greek Isles
{{About|the island||Thasos (disambiguation)}}
|name = Thasos
{{Infobox Greece place
|native_name = Θάσος
|skyline = Thassos-Limenas.jpg
| name = Thasos
| name_local = Θάσος
|sky_caption = Limenas
|map = GR_Thassos.PNG
| type = regional unit and municipality
| image_skyline = Limenas, Thassos.JPG
|coordinates = {{coord|40|43|N|24|46|E}}
| caption_skyline = Limenas (port) of Thasos, capital of the island
|chain = [[North Aegean]]
|isles =
| image_map = 2011 Dimos Thasou.svg
| map_caption = Thasos within Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
|area = 380.097
| coordinates = {{coord|40|41|N|24|39|E|display=inline,title}}
|highest_mount = Mt. Ypsario
| periph = [[Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]]
|elevation = 1205
|periph = [[East Macedonia and Thrace]]
| seat = [[Thasos (town)|Thasos]]
|prefect = [[Kavala Prefecture|Kavala]]
| area = 380
|capital = [[Thasos town]]
| elevation = 1205
|population = 13765
| population = 13104
|pop_as_of = 2001
| population_as_of = 2021
|postal = 640 04
| demonym =
|telephone = 25930
| postal_code = 640 04
|license = ΚΒ
| area_code = 25930
| licence = ΚΒ
|website = [http://www.thassos.gr www.thassos.gr]
| website =
| mayor = Eleftherios Kyriakidis<ref name=mayor>{{Cite web |url=https://ekloges.ypes.gr/current/d/home/en/municipalities/9011/ |title=Municipality of Thassos, Municipal elections{{snd}}October 2023 |publisher=[[Ministry of the Interior (Greece)|Ministry of Interior]]}}</ref>
| since = 2019
}}
}}
'''Thasos''' or '''Thassos''' ({{langx|el|Θάσος}}, ''Thásos'') is a [[List of islands of Greece|Greek island]] in the [[North Aegean|North Aegean Sea]]. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area.


The island has an area of 380 km<sup>2</sup> and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate [[regional unit]] within the [[East Macedonia and Thrace]] region. Before the local administration reform of 2011, it was part of the [[Kavala Prefecture]]. The largest town and the capital is [[Thasos (town)|Thasos]], officially known as ''Limenas Thasou'', "Port of Thasos", situated on the northern side. It is connected with the mainland by regular ferry lines between [[Keramoti]] and Thasos town, and between the regional centre of [[Kavala]] and [[Skala Prinou]].
'''Thasos''' or '''Thassos''' ({{lang-el|Θάσος}}) is a [[Greece|Greek]] island in the northern [[Aegean Sea]], close to the coast of [[Western Thrace|Thrace]] and the plain of the river [[Mesta River|Nestos]] but geographically part of [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]]. And it is where Clive Cussler novel "The Mediterranean Caper" takes place.

The most important economic activity on the island is tourism. The main agricultural products are honey, almonds, walnuts, olives (such as the local Throumba variety which has a protected designation of origin), olive oil, and wine. The inhabitants also engage in fishing, and in the herding of sheep and goats.


==History==
==History==

===Mythology===

Staphylus ({{langx|grc|Στάφυλος}}), the beloved son of god [[Dionysus]], lived in Thasos.<ref>[https://topostext.org/work/240#th.59 Suda, § th.59]</ref>

===Prehistory===
===Prehistory===


Lying close to the coast of Eastern Macedonia, Thasos was inhabited from the Palaeolithic period onwards<ref>Papadopoulos S., "Recent Field Investigations in Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age Thasos", International Symposium in Memoriam Mieczislaw Domaradzki, Kazanlak, Archaeological Institute of Sofia, Kazanluk, (in press)</ref>, but the earliest settlement to have been explored in detail is that at Limenaria where Middle and Late Neolithic remains have been found which relate closely to those of the Drama Plain. In contrast, the remains of the Early Bronze Age on the island align it with the culture which developed in the Cylcades and Sporades to the south in the Aegean. At Skala Sotiros<ref>Κουκούλη Χ.- Χρυσανθάκη, "Ανασκαφή Σκάλας Σωτήρος Θάσου", Το Αρχαιολογικό Έργο στη Μακεδονία και Θράκη, 1, ((1987), 1988, 391-406, 2 (1988), 1991, 421-431, 3 (1989), 1992, 507-520, 4 (1990), 1993, 531-545).</ref> for example, a small settlement was encircled by a strongly built defensive wall. Even earlier activity is demonstrated by the presence of large pieces of 'megalithic' anthropomorphic stelai built into these walls which, so far, have no parallels in the Aegean area.
Lying close to the coast of [[East Macedonia and Thrace|Eastern Macedonia]], Thasos was inhabited from the [[Palaeolithic period]] onwards,<ref>Papadopoulos S., "Recent Field Investigations in Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age Thasos", International Symposium in Memoriam Mieczislaw Domaradzki, Kazanlak, Archaeological Institute of Sofia, Kazanluk, (in press)</ref> but the earliest settlement to have been explored in detail is that at Limenaria, where remains from the Middle and Late [[Neolithic]] relate closely to those found at the mainland's [[Drama, Greece|Drama plain]]. In contrast, Early [[Bronze Age]] remains on the island align it with the [[Aegean civilizations|Aegean]] culture of the [[Cycladic culture|Cyclades]] and [[Sporades]], to the south; at Skala Sotiros<ref>Κουκούλη Χ.- Χρυσανθάκη, "Ανασκαφή Σκάλας Σωτήρος Θάσου", Το Αρχαιολογικό Έργο στη Μακεδονία και Θράκη, 1, ((1987), 1988, 391–406, 2 (1988), 1991, 421–431, 3 (1989), 1992, 507–520, 4 (1990), 1993, 531–545).</ref> for example, a small settlement was encircled by a strongly built defensive wall. Even earlier activity is demonstrated by the presence of large pieces of '[[megalith]]ic' [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] [[stelai]] built into these walls, which, so far, have no parallels in the Aegean area.


There is then a gap in the archaeological record until the end of the Bronze Age c 1100 BC, when the first burials took place at the large cemetery of Kastri in the interior of the island.<ref>Chaidou Koukouli-Chrysanthaki: Πρωτοιστορική Θάσος. Τα νεκροταφεία του οικισμού Κάστρι, Μερος Α και Β, Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού, Δυμοσιέυματα του αρχαιολογικού Δελτίου Αρ. 45, ISBN 960-214-107-7</ref> Here built tombs covered with small mound of earth were typical until the end of the Iron Age. In the earliest tombs were a small number of locally imitated [[Mycenaean]] pottery vessels, but the majority of the hand-made pottery with incised decoration reflects connections eastwards with Thrace and beyond.
There is then a gap in the archaeological record until the end of the Bronze Age c 1100 BC, when the first burials took place at the large cemetery of Kastri in the interior of the island.<ref>Chaidou Koukouli-Chrysanthaki: Πρωτοιστορική Θάσος. Τα νεκροταφεία του οικισμού Κάστρι, Μερος Α και Β, Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού, Δυμοσιέυματα του αρχαιολογικού Δελτίου Αρ. 45, {{ISBN|960-214-107-7}}</ref><ref>Agelarakis A., "Reflections of the Human Condition in Prehistoric Thasos: Aspects of the Anthropological and Palaeopathological Record from the Settlement of Kastri". Actes du Colloque International Matières prèmieres et Technologie de la Préhistoire à nos jours, Limenaria, Thasos. The French Archaeological Institute in Greece, 1999. 447–468.</ref> Here built tombs covered with small mound of earth were typical until the end of the [[Iron Age]]. In the earliest tombs were a small number of locally imitated [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenaean]] pottery vessels, but the majority of the hand-made pottery with incised decoration reflects connections eastwards with [[Thrace]] and beyond.


===Antiquity===
===Antiquity===
[[File:Plan der antiken Stadt Thasos.png|thumb|Plan of Thasos]]
[[File:Thasitischer Hemiobolus 213039 C.jpg|thumb|Hemiobolus of Thasos:Wreathed head of a nymph left/Dolphin leaping left within incuse square,circa 411-340 BC ]]
[[File:Agora of Thasos.jpg|thumb|Ancient Agora of Thasos]]
[[File:Geschichtetes, zyklopenhaftes Mauerwerk über Parmenon-Turm, aus Süd C.jpg|thumb|City walls of Thasos]]


The island was colonized at an early date by [[Phoenicia]]ns, attracted probably by its gold mines; they founded a temple to the god [[Melqart]], whom the [[Ancient Greece|Greeks]] identified as [[Heracles|"Tyrian Heracles"]], and whose cult was merged with Heracles in the course of the island's Hellenization.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 5.25.12. "The Thasians, who are Phoenicians by descent, and sailed from Tyre, and from Phoenicia generally, together with Thasos, the son of Agenor, in search of Europa, dedicated at Olympia a Herakles, the pedestal as well as the image being of bronze. The height of the image is ten cubits, and he holds a club in his right hand and a bow in his left. They told me in Thasos that they used to worship the same Heracles as the Tyrians, but that afterwards, when they were included among the Greeks, they adopted the worship of Heracles the son of Amphitryon."</ref> The temple still existed in the time of [[Herodotus]].<ref>Herodotus. ''Histories'', 2.44. "In the wish to get the best information that I could on these matters, I made a voyage to Tyre in Phoenicia, hearing there was a temple of [[Hercules|Heracles]] at that place, very highly venerated. I visited the temple, and found it richly adorned with a number of offerings, among which were two pillars, one of pure gold, the other of smaragdos, shining with great brilliancy at night. In a conversation which I held with the priests, I inquired how long their temple had been built, and found by their answer that they, too, differed from the Hellenes. They said that the temple was built at the same time that the city was founded, and that the foundation of the city took place 2,300 years ago. In [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]] I remarked another temple where the same god was worshipped as the Thasian Heracles. So I went on to Thasos, where I found a temple of Heracles which had been built by the Phoenicians who colonised that island when they sailed in search of Europa. Even this was five generations earlier than the time when Heracles, son of Amphitryon, was born in [[Hellas]]. These researches show plainly that there is an ancient god Heracles; and my own opinion is that those Hellenes act most wisely who build and maintain two temples of Heracles, in the one of which the Heracles worshipped is known by the name of [[Olympia, Greece|Olympian]], and has sacrifice offered to him as an immortal, while in the other the honours paid are such as are due to a hero."</ref> An [[eponym|eponymous]] Thasos, son of Phoenix (or of Agenor, as Pausanias reported) was said to have been the leader of the Phoenicians, and to have given his name to the [[List of islands of Greece|island]].
The island was colonised at an early date by [[Phoenicia]]ns, attracted probably by its gold mines; they founded a temple to the god [[Melqart]], whom the [[Ancient Greece|Greeks]] identified as "[[Heracles|Tyrian Heracles]]", and whose cult was merged with Heracles in the course of the island's [[Hellenization]].<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 5.25.12. "The Thasians, who are Phoenicians by descent, and sailed from [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]], and from Phoenicia generally, together with Thasos, the son of Agenor, in search of Europa, dedicated at Olympia a Herakles, the pedestal as well as the image being of bronze. The height of the image is ten cubits, and he holds a club in his right hand and a bow in his left. They told me in Thasos that they used to worship the same Heracles as the Tyrians, but that afterwards, when they were included among the Greeks, they adopted the worship of Heracles the son of Amphitryon."</ref> The temple still existed in the time of [[Herodotus]].<ref>Herodotus. ''Histories'', 2.44. "In the wish to get the best information that I could on these matters, I made a voyage to Tyre in Phoenicia, hearing there was a temple of [[Hercules|Heracles]] at that place, very highly venerated. I visited the temple, and found it richly adorned with a number of offerings, among which were two pillars, one of pure gold, the other of smaragdos, shining with great brilliancy at night. In a conversation I held with the priests, I inquired how long their temple had been built, and found by their answer that they, too, differed from the Hellenes. They said that the temple was built at the same time that the city was founded, and that the foundation of the city took place 2,300 years ago. In [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]] I remarked another temple where the same god was worshipped as the Thasian Heracles. So I went on to Thasos, where I found a temple of Heracles, which had been built by the Phoenicians who colonised that island when they sailed in search of Europa. Even this was five generations earlier than the time when Heracles, son of Amphitryon, was born in [[Ancient Greece|Hellas]]. These researches show plainly that there is an ancient god Heracles; and my own opinion is that those Hellenes act most wisely who build and maintain two temples of Heracles, in the one of which the Heracles worshipped is known by the name of [[Olympia, Greece|Olympian]], and has sacrifice offered to him as an immortal, while in the other the honours paid are such as are due to a hero."</ref> An [[eponym]]ous Thasos or [[Thasus]], son of [[Phoenix (son of Agenor)|Phoenix]] (or of [[Agenor]], as Pausanias reported) was said to have been the leader of the Phoenicians, and to have given his name to the [[List of islands of Greece|island]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=727}}


In either 720 or 708 BC, Thasos received a [[Greece|Greek]] colony from [[Paros]]. It was in a war which the [[Paria]]n colonists waged with the Saians, a Thracian tribe, that the poet [[Archilochus of Paros|Archilochus]] threw away his shield. The Greeks extended their power to the mainland, where they owned gold mines which were even more valuable than those on the island. From these sources the Thasians drew great wealth, their annual revenues amounting to 200 or even 300 talents. Herodotus, who visited Thasos, says that the best mines on the island were those which had been opened by the Phoenicians on the east side of the island facing [[Samothrace]].
Around 650 BC, or a little earlier, Greeks from [[Paros]] founded a colony on Thasos.<ref>AJ Graham,"The Foundation of Thasos", ''The Annual of the British School at Athens'', Vol. 73 (1978), pp. 61-98.</ref> A generation or so later, the poet [[Archilochus of Paros|Archilochus]], a descendant of these colonists, wrote of casting away his shield during a minor war against an indigenous Thracian tribe, the Saians.<ref>Zafeiropoulou F., A., Agelarakis, "Warriors of Paros". Archaeology 58.1(2005): 30–35.</ref> Thasian power, and sources of its wealth, extended to the mainland, where the Thasians owned gold mines even more valuable than those of the island; their combined annual revenues amounted to between 200 and 300 [[Attic talent|talents]]. Herodotus says that the best mines on the island were those opened by the Phoenicians on the east side of the island, facing [[Samothrace]]. Archilochus described Thasos as "an ass's backbone crowned with wild wood." The island's capital, [[Thasos (town)|Thasos]], had two harbours. Besides its gold mines, the wine, nuts and marble of Thasos were well known in antiquity.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=727}} Thasian wine was quite famous. Thasian coinage bore images of the wine-god [[Dionysos]] and grape bunches.<ref>Hugh Johnson, ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 39. Simon and Schuster 1989</ref>


Thasos was important during the [[Ionian Revolt]] against Persia. After the capture of [[Miletus]] (494 BC) [[Histiaeus of Miletus|Histiaeus]], the [[Ionia]]n leader, laid siege. The attack failed, but, warned by the danger, the Thasians employed their revenues to build war ships and strengthen their fortifications. This excited the suspicions of the Persians, and [[Darius I of Persia|Darius]] compelled them to surrender their ships and pull down their walls. After the defeat of [[Xerxes I|Xerxes]] the Thasians joined the Delian confederacy; but afterwards, on account of a difference about the mines and marts on the mainland, they revolted.
During the [[Ionian revolt]] against [[Persian Empire|Persia]], Thasos was under Persian domination. After the capture of [[Miletus]] (494 BC), [[Histiaeus of Miletus|Histiaeus]], the [[Ionia]]n leader, laid siege to Thasos, without success. In response, the Thasians built warships and strengthened their fortifications, but this provoked the suspicions of [[Darius I of Persia]], who compelled them to surrender their ships and pull down their walls.<ref>Agelarakis A., – Y., Serpanos "Auditory Exostoses, Infracranial Skeleto-Muscular Changes and Maritime Activities in Classical Period Thasos Island", Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2010, 45–57.</ref> After the defeat of [[Xerxes I]] the Thasians joined the [[Delian League]] but left in a disagreement over their mainland mines and markets.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=727}}
[[File:Thasos - AR tritartemorion.jpg|thumb|right|Silver [[Ancient drachma#Denominations of ancient Greek drachma|tritartemorion]] struck in Thasos {{Circa|411–404 BC}}. [[Satyr]] on the obverse and dolphins on the reverse]]
The [[Athenians]] eventually defeated Thasos' navy, and took the capital after a two-year siege. The Thasians were made to destroy their walls, surrender their ships and their mainland possessions, and pay a regular indemnity. In 411 BC, during a period of political instability at Athens, Thasos accepted a [[Lacedaemon]]ian governor; but in 407 BC the partisans of Lacedaemon were expelled, and the Athenians under [[Thrasybulus]] were admitted.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=727}}


After the [[Battle of Aegospotami]] (405 BC), Thasos again fell into the hands of the Lacedaemonians under [[Lysander]] but the Athenians must have recovered it, for it formed one of the subjects of dispute between them and [[Philip II of Macedon]]ia. In the embroilment between [[Philip V of Macedon]]ia and the [[Roman Empire|Romans]], Thasos submitted to Philip, but received its freedom at the hands of the Romans after the [[Battle of Cynoscephalae]] (197 BC), and it was still a nominally "free" state in the time of [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=727}}
The Athenians defeated them by sea, and, after a siege that lasted more than two years, took the capital, Thasos, probably in 463 BC, and compelled the Thasians to destroy their walls, surrender their ships, pay an indemnity and an annual contribution (in 449 BC this was 21 talents, from 445 BC about 30 talents), and resign their possessions on the mainland. In 411 BC, at the time of the oligarchical revolution at Athens, Thasos again revolted from Athens and received a Lacedaemonian governor; but in 407 BC the partisans of Lacedaemon were expelled, and the Athenians under [[Thrasybulus]] were admitted.


Excavations of various island sites between March and May 1887 by Theodore and [[Mabel Bent]] uncovered an 'Arch of Caracalla', and the collapsed remains of a unique portrait-statue of the emperor [[Hadrian]]'s wife, the empress [[Vibia Sabina|Flavia Vibia Sabina]], with an inscription dedicated to her as a "high priestess".<ref>Sheila Dillon, ''The Female Portrait Statue in the Greek World'', 147-149, 278. Cambridge University Press (2010).</ref><ref>See also Mabel Bent’s diary, January 1888, Istanbul, ''The Travel Chronicles of Mrs J. Theodore Bent, Vol. 1'', p.230 (Oxford, 2006).</ref>
===Roman Era===
{{see|Roman Greece}}


===Middle Ages===
After the [[Battle of Aegospotami]] (405 BC), Thasos again fell into the hands of the [[Lacedaemon]]ians under [[Lysander]] who formed a decarchy there; but the Athenians must have recovered it, for it formed one of the subjects of dispute between them and [[Philip II of Macedon]]ia. In the embroilment between [[Philip III of Macedon]]ia and the Romans, Thasos submitted to Philip, but received its freedom at the hands of the Romans after the [[battle of Cynoscephalae]] (197 BC), and it was still a "free" state in the time of [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]].
{{further|Byzantine Greece|Frankokratia}}
[[File:Saint Nicholas Church in Limenas, Thasos from SE.jpg|thumb|Byzantine church in Thasos]]


Thasos was part of the [[Eastern Roman Empire]], now known as the [[Byzantine Empire]], from 395 on. According to the 6th century ''[[Synecdemus]]'', it belonged to the province of [[Macedonia Prima]], although the 10th century ''De thematibus'' claims that it was part of [[Thracia]].<ref name="ODB">{{cite encyclopedia | title = Thasos | last1 = Gregory | first1 = Timothy E. | last2 = Cutler | first2 = Anthony | page = 2031 | editor-first = Alexander | editor-last = Kazhdan |editor-link=Alexander Kazhdan | encyclopedia = [[Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium]] | location = London and New York | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 1991 | isbn = 978-0-19-504652-6}}</ref> The island was a major source of marble until the disruption of the [[Slavic people|Slavic]] invasions in the late 6th/7th centuries, and several churches from [[Late Antiquity]] have been found on it.<ref name="ODB"/> The island remained in Byzantine hands for most of the [[Middle Ages]]. It functioned as a naval base in the 13th century, under its own ''[[dux|doux]]'', and came briefly under the rule of the [[Republic of Genoa|Genoese]] [[Tedisio Zaccaria]] in 1307–13. Returning to Byzantine control, its bishopric was raised to an archdiocese by [[Manuel II Palaiologos]]. Thasos was captured by the Genoese [[Gattilusi]] family c.&nbsp;1434, who surrendered it to the [[Ottoman Empire]] in 1455.<ref name="ODB"/> Following the Ottoman conquest of the [[Despotate of the Morea]] in 1460, the former Despot [[Demetrios Palaiologos]] received lands on the island.<ref name="ODB"/>
It is related, that Byzantine Greek Saint [[Joannicius the Great]] in one of his miracles freed the island of Thasos from a multitude of snakes (Venerable Joannicius lived through 8-9 centuries).


It is related that the Byzantine Greek Saint [[Joannicius the Great]] (752–846) in one of his miracles freed the island of Thasos from a multitude of snakes.
===Ottoman Era===
{{see|Byzantine Greece|Ottoman Greece}}


===Ottoman era===
Thasos was part of the [[Eastern Roman Empire]], later known as [[Byzantine Empire]]. It was captured by the [[Ottoman Empire|Turks]] in 1462. Under the Turks the island was known as [[Ottoman Turkish language|Ottoman Turkish]]: طاشوز ''Taşöz''. A brief revolt against Ottoman rule in 1821, led by Hajiyorgis Metaxas, failed. The island was given by the Sultan [[Mahmud II]] to [[Muhammad Ali of Egypt]] of as a personal fiefdom in the late 1820s, as a reward for Egyptian intervention in the [[Greek War of Independence|War of Greek Independence]] (which failed to prevent the creation of the modern Greek state). Egyptian rule was relatively benign (by some accounts Muhammad Ali had either been born or spent his infancy on Thasos) and the island became prosperous, until 1908, when the New Turk regime asserted [[Turkey|Turkish]] control. It had the status of a [[sanjak]] in the [[vilayet]] of Salonici until the [[Balkan Wars]]. On October 20, 1912 during the [[First Balkan War]], a Greek naval detachment claimed Thasos as part of [[Greece]], which it has remained since.
{{further|Ottoman Greece}}
Thasos was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1456.<ref>Somel, Selçuk Akşin, ''The A to Z of the Ottoman Empire'', p. 103, Scarecrow Press, Mar 23, 2010</ref> Under Ottoman rule, the island was known in [[Ottoman Turkish language|Ottoman Turkish]] as طاشوز - ''Taşöz''. Between 1770 and 1774, the island was briefly occupied by a [[Russia]]n fleet. By this time its population had gravitated to the inland villages as a protective measure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greektravel.com/greekislands/thassos/index.htm|title=Greek Islands:Thassos|access-date=4 December 2015}}</ref> Nearly 50 years later, a revolt against Ottoman rule arose in 1821, at the outbreak of the [[Greek War of Independence]], led by Hatzigiorgis Metaxas, but it failed. The [[1831 census of the Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Census of 1831]] states that the island was populated exclusively by Greeks and that there were 1,821 Greek males fit to fight. This register excluded women, orphans, Christians below the age of puberty, the mentally or physically incapacitated as well as high-ranking officials, so the actual population would have been over double this.<ref>[[Kemal Karpat]] (1985), [https://kupdf.net/downloadFile/59e4a7b908bbc56144e653d7 Ottoman Population, 1830-1914, Demographic and Social Characteristics], [[The University of Wisconsin Press]], p. 9 & 114</ref>


The island had been given in 1813 by the Sultan [[Mahmud II]] to the Ottoman Albanian ruler [[Muhammad Ali of Egypt]] as a personal fiefdom, as a reward for his [[Wahhabi War|intervention against the Wahhabites]]. The island had functioned as the chief centre of recruitment for [[Albanians]] who entered the [[Egypt under Muhammad Ali|Egyptian]] civil service, until 1912.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kamusella|first=Tomasz|author-link=Tomasz Kamusella|title=Central Europe's Limits in the North and the South|journal=Acta Slavica Iaponica|volume=44|year=2023|pages=83–112|issn=0288-3503|publisher=Slavic Research Center, [[Hokkaido University]]}}</ref> On 20 October 1912 during the [[First Balkan War]], the Greek navy invaded Thasos and annexed it into Greece after more than 350 years of Ottoman Turkish rule.
===World War II===
{{see|Axis occupation of Greece during World War II}}


===Modern era===
During Axis occupation (1941-1944) Thasos, along with the rest of [[Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]], was under Bulgarian control. The Bulgarians planned to annex the territory under their control and closed down schools as a first step towards forced [[Bulgaria|Bulgarization]]. Under Bulgarian rule the island was called {{lang-bg|Тасос}}. Mountainous terrain facilitated small-scale resistance activity. The [[Greek Civil War]] affected the island in the form of skirmishes and [[Communism|Communist]] guerilla attacks until 1950, almost a year after the main hostilities were over on the [[Greece|mainland]].
{{further|Axis occupation of Greece during World War II}}
[[File:Parelia am Fischerhafen C.jpg|thumb|Limenaria in 1950s]]


During the [[Axis powers|Axis]] occupation (April 1941{{snd}}October 1944) Thasos, along with the region of [[East Macedonia and Thrace]], was assigned by the Nazis to their [[Bulgaria]]n allies. The Bulgarian government renamed the island "Tasos" and closed its schools. Thasos' mountainous terrain facilitated resistance activity, mainly led by the left-wing [[National Liberation Front (Greece)|National Liberation Front]] (EAM). After the end of the war and the withdrawal of Axis troops in 1944, the island was caught up in the [[Greek Civil War]]. The leader of the communist naval faction, Sarantis Spintzos, was a native of Thasos.<ref>Κώστας Τσίμας, Σελίδες Ζωής: Αγώνες για την Ελευθερία και τη Δημοκρατία, 2004, σελίδες 36-40</ref> Skirmishes and [[Communism|communist]] guerilla attacks continued until 1950, almost a year after hostilities had ended on the Greek mainland.
===Modern Era===
[[File:Parelia am Fischerhafen C.jpg|thumb|Thasos in 1950's]]
[[File:THASSOS 0485 www.zakonnik.net .jpg|thumb|Church in Thasos]]


In the post-war decades, another native of Thasos, Costas Tsimas, was to attain national recognition; a friend of Prime Minister [[Andreas Papandreou]], he was appointed Director of the [[National Intelligence Service (Greece)|National Intelligence Service]], the first civilian to hold that post.
[[Thasos (town)|Thasos]], the capital (now informally known as Limenas, or "the port"), stood on the north side of the island, and had two harbors. Archilochus described Thasos as "an ass's backbone crowned with wild wood," and the description still suits the mountainous island with its forests of fir and pine. Besides its gold mines, the wine, nuts and marble of Thasos were well known in antiquity. Thasian wine (a light bodied wine with a characteristic apple scent) was, in particular, quite famous; to the point where all Thasian coins carried the head of the wine god [[Dionysos]] on one side and bunches of grape of the other. <ref> Hugh Johnson, ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 39. Simon and Schuster 1989 </ref>


Today, Thasos is a part of the [[Kavala prefecture]] and is the southernmost and the easternmost points in the prefecture. Under local government reform in the late 1990s, the entire island became a single municipality. Thasos is served ferry routes to and from [[Kavala]] and Keramoti. The latter is a port at the eastern portion of the prefecture, close to [[Kavala International Airport]], and has the shortest possible crossing to the island.
[[Thasos (town)|Thasos]], the capital, informally known as Limenas, or "the port", is served by a ferry route to and from [[Keramoti]] a port close to [[Kavala International Airport]], and has the shortest possible crossing to the island.
Scala Prinos 20&nbsp;km south of Thassos town is served by a ferry route to and from [[Kavala]].

==Administration==
Thasos is a separate [[regional units of Greece|regional unit]] of the [[East Macedonia and Thrace]] region, and the only [[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|municipality]] of the regional unit. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Thasos was created out of part of the former [[Kavala Prefecture]].<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL8-SrPzKAEPjjtIl9LGdkF53UIxsx942CdyqxSQYNuqAGCF0IfB9HI6hq6ZkZV96FIukI0UzcPsWCK0LpLhpa7rhiWB4R5ntTnoWw7U8E1Amg.|title=ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref> The municipality, unchanged at the Kallikratis reform, includes a few uninhabited islets besides the main island Thasos and has an area of 380.097&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf|publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece|title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)|language=el|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf|archive-date=2015-09-21}}</ref> The province of Thasos ({{langx|el|Επαρχία Θάσου}}) was one of the [[provinces of Greece|provinces]] of the Kavala Prefecture. It had the same territory as the present municipality.<ref name=census91>{{cite web |url= http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00086.pdf |title= Detailed census results 1991 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183824/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00086.pdf |archive-date= 2016-03-03 }}&nbsp;{{small|(39&nbsp;MB)}} {{in lang|el|fr}}</ref> It was abolished in 2006.


==Geography==
==Geography==
[[Image:Thasos NASA photo.jpg|thumb|Thasos from space, April 1993]]
[[File:Thasos.jpg|thumb|Thasos from space, April 1993]]
[[File:Thasos2022OSM.png|thumb|left|Detailed map of Thasos]]
Thasos is located in the northern Aegean sea approximately {{convert|7|km|0|abbr=on}} from the northern mainland and {{convert|20|km|0|abbr=off}} south-east of [[Kavala]]. It is of generally round shape, without deep bays or significant peninsulas. The terrain is mountainous but not particularly rugged, rising gradually from coast to centre. The highest peak is [[Ypsario]] (Ipsario), at {{convert|1205|m|0|abbr=off}}, somewhat east of centre. Pine forest covers much of the island's eastern slopes.


Historically, the island's population was chiefly engaged in agriculture and stockbreeding, and established villages inland, some of them connected via stairways (known as skalas) to harbors at the shore. The local population gradually migrated towards these shoreline settlements as tourism began to develop as an important source of income. Thus, there are several "paired villages" such as Maries–Skala Maries, with the former inland and the latter on the coast.
Thasos has generally round shape, without deep bays and significant peninsulas. The highest peak, Ypsario or Ipsario, is 1,205 m (3428 ft) high and lies in the eastern half of the island, which is steeper and mostly covered in pine forest. The western half has gentler slopes. While generally mountainous, the terrain is not particularly rugged, as it rises gradually from the coast towards the island center.

Most villages were placed inland, as the population was chiefly engaged in agriculture and stockbreeding. Those villages had their harbors at nearest points on the shore, often connected with stairways ("Skalas") and the population gradually migrated there, as tourism began to emerge as an important source of income. Thus, there are several pairs of villages such as Marion–Skala Maries, where the former is inland and the latter on the coast.


===Geology===
===Geology===
{{technical|section|date=January 2013}}
[[Image:Image-Geologikos-thasos.jpg|thumb|Geological and Metallogenic map of Thasos Island.]]
[[File:Epitropou 4.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Geological and Metallogenic map of Thasos island.]]


Thasos island is located in the northern Aegean sea approximately 7&nbsp;km from the mainland and 20&nbsp;km south-east of [[Kavala]]. The Island is formed mainly by [[gneiss]]es, [[schist]]s and [[marble]]s of the [[Rhodope]] Massif. Marble sequences, corresponding to the [[Falacron]] Marbles intercalated by schists and gneisses, are up to 500m thick and are separated from the underlying gneisses by a transition zone about 300 m thick termed the T-zone consisting of alternances of dolomitic and calcitic marbles intercalated by schists and gneisses.
The island is formed mainly by [[gneiss]]es, [[schist]]s and [[marble]]s of the [[Rhodope Mountains|Rhodope]] massif. Marble sequences corresponding to the [[Falakro]] marbles intercalated by schists and gneisses, are up to 500&nbsp;m thick and are separated from the underlying gneisses by a transition zone about 300&nbsp;m thick.


The rocks have undergone several periods of regional metamorphism, to at least upper [[amphibolite]] facies, and there was a subsequent phase of retrograde metamorphism. At least three periods of regional deformation have been identified, the most important being large scale [[isoclinal]] folding with axes aligned north-west. The T-zone is deformed and is interpreted by some authors as a regional thrust of pre-major folding age. There are two major high angle fault systems aligned north-west and north-east respectively. A large low-angle thrust cuts the gneiss, schist and marble sequence at the south-west corner of the island, probably indicating an overthrusting of the Serbomacedonian Massif onto the Rodope Massif.
The rocks have undergone several periods of regional metamorphism, to at least upper [[amphibolite]] facies, and there was a subsequent phase of retrograde metamorphism. At least three periods of regional deformation have been identified, the most important being large scale [[isocline (geology)|isoclinal folding]] with axes aligned north-west. The T-zone is deformed and is interpreted by some authors as a regional thrust of pre-major folding age. There are two major high angle fault systems aligned north-west and north-east respectively. A large low-angle thrust cuts the gneiss, schist and marble sequence at the south-west corner of the island, probably indicating an overthrusting of the Serbomacedonian Massif onto the Rodope Massif.


The Late Miocene oil-producing Nestos-Prinos basin is located between Thassos island and the mainland. The floor of the basin is around 1,500 m deep off the Thassos coast(South Kavala ridge; Proedrou, 1988) and up to 4.000-5.000 m in the axial sector between Thassos and the mainland. The basin is filled with Late Miocene-Pliocene sediments, including ubiquitously repeated evaporite layers of rock salt and anhydrite-dolomite which alternate with sandstones, conglomerates, black shales, and [[uranium|uraniferous]] coal measures (Proedrou, 1979, 1988; Taupitz, 1985). Stratigraphically equivalent rocks on the mainland are clastic sediments with coal beds, marine to brackish fluvial units and travertines.
The [[Late Miocene]] oil-producing Nestos-Prinos basin is located between Thassos island and the mainland. The floor of the basin is around 1,500 m deep off the Thassos coast (South Kavala ridge; Proedrou, 1988) and up to 4.000–5.000 m in the axial sector between Thassos and the mainland. The basin is filled with Late Miocene-Pliocene sediments, including ubiquitously repeated evaporite layers of rock salt and anhydrite-dolomite that alternate with sandstones, conglomerates, black shales, and [[uranium|uraniferous]] [[coal measures]] (Proedrou, 1979, 1988; Taupitz, 1985). Stratigraphically equivalent rocks on the mainland are clastic sediments with coal beds, marine to brackish fluvial units and travertines.


===Mining history===
===Mining history===
Mining activities for base and precious metals started in the 7th century B.C. with the Phoenicians, followed in the 4th century by the Greeks and then the Romans. The mining was both open - pit and underground, and concentrated on the numerous [[karst]] hosted calamine deposits for lead and silver although there was also minor exploitation of gold and copper. Worth mentioning is the discovery of a paleolithic addit located at Tzines iron mine, whose age has being estimated at approximately 15.000 years old, (Kovkouli et al. 1988) for the exploitation of [[limonite|limonitic]] ochre.
The earliest mining on the island has been dated to around 13,000 BC, when [[paleolithic]] miners dug a shaft at the site of the modern-era Tzines iron mine for the extraction of [[limonite|limonitic]] ochre.<ref>Kovkouli ''et al''. 1988.</ref> Mining for base and precious metals started around the 7th century BC with the Phoenicians, followed in the 4th century by the Greeks, then the Romans. These later mines were both open-cast and underground, mostly to exploit the island's numerous [[karst]] hosted calamine deposits for their lead and silver. Gold, copper and iron were also found; the [[Byzantine]]s quarried marble on the island.


In the early 20th century, mining companies (most notably the Speidel mining company) exploited the island's [[zinc]]-[[lead]] rich [[calamine]] ores, with a yield of around 2 million tonnes, and a processing plant at [[Limenaria]] produced [[zinc oxide]]. Iron ore was mined on a significant scale from 1954 to 1964, with a yield of around 3 million tonnes. Since 1964, surveys have established the existence of a deep-level zinc-lead deposit, but the only mining activity on the island has been marble quarrying.
More recently, mining companies such as [[Speidel]] (1905-1912) and [[Vielle Montagne]] (1925-1930) exploited the [[Zinc|Zn]]-[[lead|Pb]] ([[calamine]]) ores which had reported grades over 12% Zn+Pb. In 1905 a metallurgical plant was erected at [[Limenaria]] for the calcination of the calamines in vertical and [[Oxland]] furnaces to produce ZnO. Later (1926) the calcination plant was rebuilt by Vieille Montagne with [[Waelz]] system rotary furnaces. Iron ore mining became important during the years 1954-1964. Several mining companies (Krupp and Apostolopoulos A.E., Chondrodimos S.A.) exploited the iron ore deposits of the island. It is estimated that total mineral production during the period 1905-1964 was about 2 million tonnes of calamine (12% Zn+Pb) and 3 million tonnes of iron ore (44% Fe). Since 1964 there has been no mining activity on the island.


<gallery class="center">
A new exploration effort was initiated in 1976 by [http://www.igme.gr IGME] aimed at locating hidden primary base metal mineralization. Core drilling resulted in the discovery at the Marlou prospect, in 1979, of a stratabound primary [[Zinc|Zn]]-[[lead|Pb]] deposit at a depth of 200 m. The marble quarrying had a parallel history with the mining activity of the [[Byzantine]] period. In the present era, starting about forty years ago, marble quarrying has been the only activity extracing the mineral wealth of Thasos.
File:Sellada.jpg|[[Lead]]-[[zinc]] mine at Sellada

File:Cupanada.jpg|Iron mine of Koupanada
<gallery>
File:GR Thasos 81 Grube E1 01.jpg|Gold mine
Image:Palataki2.jpg|Palataki, the administrative center of the Speidel mining company.
File:Tzines.jpg|Iron mine at Tzines, with paleolithic mine-tunnel
Image:Sellada.jpg|[[lead|Pb]]-[[Zinc|Zn]] mine of Sellada.
File:Marble quarry Thasos island.jpg|Marble quarry of Alyki
Image:Boubes.jpg|[[lead|Pb]]-[[Zinc|Zn]] mine of Vouves.
Image:Cupanada.jpg|Iron mine of Koupanada.
Image:Ergostasio.jpg|Metallurgical plant of [[Limenaria]].
Image:Kumaria.jpg|[[lead|Pb]]-[[Zinc|Zn]] mine of Koumaria.
Image:Mavrolakas1.jpg|Iron mine of Mavrolakkas.
Image:Mavrolakas2.jpg|Iron mine of Mavrolakkas.
Image:Tzines.jpg|Iron mine of Tzines with paleolithic addit.
Image:KalamineSotiros.JPG|The calamine Sotiros mine.
Image:Kapsalina Addits.JPG|Kapsalina ancient addits for [[lead|Pb]]-[[silver|Ag]] exploitation.
Image:AlykiQuarries.jpg|Ancient marble quarries of Alyki.
</gallery>
</gallery>

==Climate==
Thasos has a [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]] (''Csa'' in the [[Köppen climate classification]]) with mild winters and hot summers.

{{Weather box
| location = Thasos
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
|Jan high C=10.5
|Feb high C=12.2
|Mar high C=14.3
|Apr high C=18.5
|May high C=23.7
|Jun high C=28.3
|Jul high C=31.2
|Aug high C=32.1
|Sep high C=27.1
|Oct high C=20.9
|Nov high C=16.6
|Dec high C=12.5

|Jan mean C= 7.3
|Feb mean C=8.8
|Mar mean C=10.7
|Apr mean C=14.2
|May mean C=19.2
|Jun mean C=23.7
|Jul mean C=26.4
|Aug mean C=27.3
|Sep mean C=22.8
|Oct mean C=17.2
|Nov mean C=13.4
|Dec mean C=9.5

|Jan low C= 4.1
|Feb low C= 5.3
|Mar low C= 7.0
|Apr low C=9.9
|May low C=14.7
|Jun low C=19.1
|Jul low C=21.6
|Aug low C=22.4
|Sep low C=18.4
|Oct low C=13.4
|Nov low C=10.2
|Dec low C= 6.4

|Jan rain mm=112.3
|Feb rain mm=55.7
|Mar rain mm=74.1
|Apr rain mm=48.7
|May rain mm=41.2
|Jun rain mm=57.5
|Jul rain mm=17.5
|Aug rain mm=15.6
|Sep rain mm=30.0
|Oct rain mm=71.2
|Nov rain mm=128.5
|Dec rain mm=142.3

| Jan record high C = 19.8
| Feb record high C = 20.4
| Mar record high C = 23.6
| Apr record high C = 27.3
| May record high C = 30.9
| Jun record high C = 35.7
| Jul record high C = 37.2
| Aug record high C = 39.0
| Sep record high C = 36.1
| Oct record high C = 30.0
| Nov record high C = 25.3
| Dec record high C = 20.9

| Jan record low C = -4.8
| Feb record low C = -3.8
| Mar record low C = -2.6
| Apr record low C = 2.3
| May record low C = 8.9
| Jun record low C = 11.4
| Jul record low C = 16.3
| Aug record low C = 17.8
| Sep record low C = 9.3
| Oct record low C = 6.6
| Nov record low C = 1.2
| Dec record low C = -3.3

|source 1= [[National Observatory of Athens]] Monthly Bulletins (Dec 2014 - Sep 2023) <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm | title=Meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα }}</ref> |source 2= Thasos N.O.A station <ref>{{cite web | url=https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/thasos/ | title=Latest Conditions in Thasos }}</ref> and [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name="WMO">{{cite web | url=https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-300-1-thasos | title=World Meteorological Organization | accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref>
}}


==Economy==
==Economy==
[[File:Thasos Throumba Olives AB.jpg|thumb|Throumba olives on sale at a supermarket]]
The main agricultural production on the island are [[honey]] and [[olive oil]] as well as [[wine]], [[sheep]], [[goat]] herding and fishing. Other industries includes lumber and tourism. Mining industry includes lead, zinc and marble, especially in the Panagia area where one of the mountains near the Thracian Sea has a large marble quarry. Now abandoned marble quarry in the south (in the area of Aliki) has been mined during the ancient times. By far the most important economic activity is tourism.
By far the most important economic activity is tourism. The main agricultural products on the island are [[honey]], [[almonds]], [[walnuts]], [[olive]]s (such as the local [[Throumba olives|Throumba]] variety which has a [[protected designation of origin]]), [[olive oil]], and [[wine]]. The inhabitants also engage in the herding of [[sheep]] and [[goat]]s, and fishing.<ref name="thassos-dream.gr economy">{{cite web |url=http://thassos-dream.gr/go-thassos-2/why-go-thassos/#economy |title=Why is Thassos important |work=thassos-dream.gr |at=Economy |access-date=2015-12-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208053637/http://thassos-dream.gr/go-thassos-2/why-go-thassos/#economy |archive-date=2015-12-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other industries are lumber and mining which includes [[lead]], [[zinc]], and [[marble]], especially in the Panagia area where one of the mountains near the Thracian Sea has a large marble quarry. The marble quarries in the south (in the area of Aliki), now abandoned, were mined during ancient times.


==Communities==
==Localities==
[[File:THASSOS 0889.jpg|thumb|Thasos centre]]
[[File:Panagia Schieferdächer C.jpg|thumb|Panagia village]]


Towns and villages with over 100 inhabitants are:
Towns and villages with over 100 inhabitants (2021 census) are:<ref name=census21/>

*[[Agios Georgios (Thasos), Greece|Agios Georgios]] (pop. 149)
* [[Kallirachi, Thasos|Kallirachi]] (417)
*[[Astris]] (129)
* [[Limenaria]] (2,351)
*[[Kallirachi (Thasos), Greece|Kallirachi]] (651)
*[[Kinyra]] (104)
* [[Panagia, Thasos|Panagia]] (672)
*[[Limenaria (Thasos), Greece|Limenaria]] (2,441)
* [[Potamia, Thasos|Potamia]] (1,274)
*[[Maries (Thasos), Greece|Maries]] (182)
* [[Potos, Thasos|Potos]] (788)
*[[Ormos Prinou]] (122)
* [[Prinos, Thasos|Prinos]] (1,160)
* [[Rachoni]] (408)
*[[Panagia (Thasos), Greece|Panagia]] (820)
* [[Skala Kallirachis]] (554)
*[[Potamia (Thasos), Greece|Potamia]] (1,216)
*[[Potos, Greece|Potos]] (688)
* [[Skala Marion]] (367)
*[[Prinos (Thasos), Greece|Prinos]] (1,185)
* [[Skala Rachoniou]] (219)
*[[Rachoni]] (365)
* [[Skala Sotiros]] (360)
* [[Thasos (town)|Thasos]] (Limenas Thasou) (3,331)
*[[Skala Kallirachis]] (631)
*[[Skala Marion]] (377)
* [[Theologos, Thasos|Theologos]] (515)
[[File:Theologos Thasos IMGP8077.jpg|thumb|Traditional village of [[Theologos, Thasos|Theologos]]]]
*[[Skala Rachoniou]] (206)
*[[Skala Sotirou]] (368)
*'''Thasos''' (3,130)
*[[Theologos (Thasos), Greece|Theologos]] (731)


==Historical population==
==Historical population==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Year !! Town !! Municipality
! Year !! Population !! Change !! Municipal population !! Change <!--!! Density-->
|-
|-
| 1981 || 2,312 || - || - || - <!--|| -/km²-->
| 1981 || 2,312 || –
|-
|-
| 1991 || 2,600 || 288/12.46% || - || <!--|| -/km²-->
| 1991 || 2,600 || –
|-
|-
| 2001 || 13,765 || - || -/km²
| 2001 || 3,140 || 13,765
|-
| 2011 || 3,240 || 13,770
|-
| 2021 || 3,331 || 13,104
|}
|}


==Sights==
== Notable people ==
[[File:20160514 250 limenas musee.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Kouros at the [[Archaeological Museum of Thasos]]]]
*[[Aglaophon]] (6-5th c. BC) painter, teacher and father of Polygnotus and Aristophon[http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0083.html]
[[File:Potamia-local-museum.jpg|thumb|[[Polygnotos Vagis Municipal Museum]] in Potamia]]
*[[Hegemon of Thasos]] comedian, inventor of parody
[[File:Paradise Beach, nudist area, Kinira, Thasos.jpg|thumb|Paradisos beach]]
*[[Leodamas of Thasos|Leodamas]] (4th century BC) mathematician
*Neseus of Thasos, painter
*Polygnostos Vagis (1892-1965) Thasos-born US sculptor
*[[Polygnotus]] (middle of 5th c.BC), painter
*[[Stesimbrotos of Thasos|Stesimbrotos]] (c. 470 BC-c. 420 BC) sophist
*Theagenes Olympic boxer (480 BC), [[Pankration|Pankratiast]](476 BC) and runner[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/theag.html]
*[[Vassilis Vassilikos]] (1934) poet and author


* [[Archaeological Museum of Thasos]] and the nearby ancient agora in Thasos town
==See also==
*[[Communities of the Kavala prefecture]], including Thasos
* Acropolis of Thasos and ancient theater near Thasos town
* [[Polygnotos Vagis Municipal Museum]] in Potamia
* [[Folklore Museum of Limenaria]]
* Archangel Michael's Monastery
* [[Saint Panteleimon]] Monastery: it was built in 1843 and became monastery in 1987. According to inhabitants of Thassos, someone wanted to build it in favor of Saint Panteleimon. The workers started the building at a location, but the next day when they wanted to continue with the construction, the part they had built was found destroyed and their tools were missing. The same happened on the following days. One day they saw footprints on the ground and followed them until they found their tools nearby a natural spring. Finally, they built the monastery at that spot.
* Monastery of the Assumption
* [[Kastro, Thasos|Kastro]]: its foundation year is unknown. This village must have been created during the years of Frankish domination.
* Krambousa Isle: it can be found across the coast of Skala Potamia. The thick vegetation makes it impossible to explore all parts of it. It is full with a special wild vegetable called "Krambi". The little church of Saint Daniel is located at the top of the hill. The inhabitants visit this church on the day of the saint every year.
* Mount [[Ypsario]] (Ipsario) {{Convert|1203|meters|feet}}
* Artificial Lake in Maries

== Notable people ==
* [[Archilochos]] (7th century BC), warrior and poet.
* [[Aglaophon]] (6th–5th century BC), painter, teacher and father of Polygnotus and Aristophon<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0083.html |title=Aglaophon |work=Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology |page=74 (v. 1) |publisher=Ancientlibrary.com |access-date=2012-10-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007150113/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0083.html |archive-date=2012-10-07 }}</ref>
* [[Hegemon of Thasos]], comedian, inventor of parody
* [[Leodamas of Thasos|Leodamas]] (4th century BC), mathematician
* Neseus of Thasos, painter
* [[Polygnotos Vagis]] (1892–1965), Thasos-born US sculptor
* [[Polygnotus]] (mid-5th century BC), painter
* [[Stesimbrotos of Thasos|Stesimbrotos]] (c. 470 BC – c. 420 BC), sophist
* [[Theagenes of Thasos]] (480 BC) Olympic boxer
* [[Pankration|Pankratiast]] (476 BC), Olympic runner
* [[Androsthenes of Thasos]] (4th century BC), Admiral serving under Alexander the Great.
* [[Vassilis Vassilikos]] (1934), poet and author. His novel "Z" was the source for [[Z (1969 film)|the eponymous Academy Award-winning film]], was born in Thasos.


==Notes==
==Bibliographic references==
{{reflist|30em}}
*[[Antje Schwab|Antje]] and [[Günther Schwab]]: Thassos - Samothraki, 1999, ISBN 3-932410-30-0.
*N. Epitropou et al.: "The discovery of primary stratabound Pb – Zn mineralization at Thassos Island", ''L’ Industria Mineraria'' '''n. 4''', 1982.
*N. Epitropou, D. Konstantinides, D. Bitzios: "The Mariou Pb – Zn Mineralization of the Thassos Island Greece.", ''Mineral deposits of the Alps and of Alpine Epoch in Europe ed. by H. J. Echneibert'', Spring – Verlag Berlin Heilderberg, 1983.
*N. Epitropou et al.: "Le mineralizzazioni carsiche a Pb – Zn dell’ isola di Thassos, Grecia.", ''Mem. Soc. Geol.'' '''H. 22''', 1981, pp. 139-143.
*Omenetto P., Epitropou N., Konstantinides D.: "The base metal sulphides of W. Thassos Island in the Geological Metallogenic Frame work of Rhodope and Surrounding Regions.", ''International Earth Sciences Congress on AEGEAN Regions'', 1-6 October 1990, Izmir -Turkey.
*Epitropou N., Omenetto P., Constantinides D., "Μineralizations a Pb – Zn comparables au type ' Mississippi Valley'. L'example de l'ile de Thassos ( Macedoine, Grece du Nord)", ''MVT WORKSHOP'', Paris, France, 1993.


==References==
==References==
* Agelarakis A., "Linen Thread Fragment". Ed. Chi. Koukouli-Chrysanthaki. "Proto-Historic Thasos", Archaeologiko Deltio 2.45 (1992–1993): 803
{{1911}}
* Agelarakis A., "Investigations of Archaeo-Anthropological Nature at the Classical Necropolis of the Island of Thasos between 1979–1996", Archaiologiko Ergo sti Makedonia kai Thraki, 10B (1997): 770–794.
{{reflist}}
* Agelarakis A., "On the Anthropological and Palaeopathological Records of a Select Number of Human Individuals from the Ancient Necropolis of Thasos Island". In <Jewelry from Thasian Graves> by Sgourou M., BSA 96 (2001): 355–364.
* Agelarakis A., "Investigations of Physical Anthropology & Palaeopathology at the Ancient Necropolis of Thasos", In M. Sgourou, Excavating houses and graves: exploring aspects of everyday life and afterlife in ancient Thasos, BAR International series 1031 (2002): 12–19.
* [[Antje Schwab|Antje]] and [[Günther Schwab]]: Thassos – Samothraki, 1999, {{ISBN|3-932410-30-0}}.
* N. Epitropou et al.: "The discovery of primary stratabound Pb – Zn mineralization at Thassos Island", ''L' Industria Mineraria'' '''n. 4''', 1982.
* N. Epitropou, D. Konstantinides, D. Bitzios: "The Mariou Pb – Zn Mineralization of the Thassos Island Greece.", ''Mineral deposits of the Alps and of Alpine Epoch in Europe ed. by H. J. Echneibert'', Spring – Verlag Berlin Heilderberg, 1983.
* N. Epitropou et al.: "Le mineralizzazioni carsiche a Pb – Zn dell' isola di Thassos, Grecia.", ''Mem. Soc. Geol.'' '''H. 22''', 1981, pp.&nbsp;139–143.
* Omenetto P., Epitropou N., Konstantinides D.: "The base metal sulphides of W. Thassos Island in the Geological Metallogenic Frame work of Rhodope and Surrounding Regions.", ''International Earth Sciences Congress on AEGEAN Regions'', 1–6 October 1990, İzmir -Turkey.
* Epitropou N., Omenetto P., Constantinides D., "Μineralizations a Pb – Zn comparables au type ' Mississippi Valley'. L'example de l'ile de Thassos ( Macedoine, Grece du Nord)", ''MVT WORKSHOP'', Paris, France, 1993.
* {{EB1911|wstitle=Thasos|volume=26|pages=727–728}}
;Inscriptions
*{{cite book |last1=Hamon |first1=Patrice |title=Corpus des inscriptions de Thasos III: Documents publics du quatrième siècle et de l'époque hellénistique|date=2019 |publisher=École française d'Athènes |location=Athènes |isbn=978-2-86958-305-4}}
*{{cite book |last1=Fournier |first1=Julien |title=Corpus des inscriptions de Thasos V: Documents publics d'époque romaine I<sup>er</sup> s. av. J.-C. - IV<sup>e</sup> s. apr. J.-C |date=2023 |publisher=École française d'Athènes |location=Athenes |isbn=9782869585874}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Thasos}}
*[http://http://yrefail.net/Thasos/]
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Thasos}}
{{Aegean Islands}}
* [https://www.see360.ro/thasos/ Virtual tour] of Thasos
{{Kavala prefecture}}
* [https://gokavala.com/ Ultimate guide] of Thasos

{{Eastern Macedonia and Thrace}}
{{Thasos div}}
{{Aegean Sea}}
{{Aegean Sea}}
{{Prefectures and provinces of Greece}}


{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Thasos|Thasos]]

[[Category:Thasos| ]]
[[Category:Gold mines in Greece]]
[[Category:Zinc mines in Greece]]
[[Category:Zinc mines in Greece]]
[[Category:Surface mines in Greece]]
[[Category:Surface mines in Greece]]
[[Category:Underground mines in Greece]]
[[Category:Underground mines in Greece]]
[[Category:Quarries in Greece]]

[[Category:Municipalities of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]]
[[ar:ثاسوس، كافالا]]
[[Category:Provinces of Greece]]
[[br:Enez Tasos]]
[[Category:Islands of Greece]]
[[bg:Тасос]]
[[Category:Islands of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]]
[[ca:Tassos]]
[[Category:Landforms of Thasos]]
[[cs:Thassos]]
[[Category:Regional units of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]]
[[da:Thassos]]
[[Category:North Aegean islands]]
[[de:Thasos]]
[[Category:Macedonia (Greece)]]
[[et:Thásos]]
[[Category:Members of the Delian League]]
[[el:Θάσος]]
[[Category:Thracian Sea]]
[[es:Tasos]]
[[Category:Greek city-states]]
[[fr:Thasos (île)]]
[[Category:Parian colonies]]
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[[Category:Territories of the Republic of Genoa]]
[[it:Taso]]
[[Category:Populated places in Thasos]]
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Latest revision as of 16:05, 22 October 2024

This article is about the island. For other uses, see Thasos (disambiguation).
Thasos
Θάσος
Regional unit and municipality
Limenas (port) of Thasos, capital of the island
Limenas (port) of Thasos, capital of the island
Thasos is located in Greece
Thasos
Thasos
Thasos within Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
Coordinates: 40°41′N 24°39′E / 40.683°N 24.650°E / 40.683; 24.650
CountryGreece
Administrative regionEastern Macedonia and Thrace
SeatThasos
Government
 • MayorEleftherios Kyriakidis[1] (since 2019)
Area
 • Municipality
380 km2 (150 sq mi)
Elevation
1,205 m (3,953 ft)
Population
 (2021)[2]
 • Municipality
13,104
 • Density34/km2 (89/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
640 04
Area code(s)25930
Vehicle registrationΚΒ

Thasos or Thassos (Greek: Θάσος, Thásos) is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area.

The island has an area of 380 km2 and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate regional unit within the East Macedonia and Thrace region. Before the local administration reform of 2011, it was part of the Kavala Prefecture. The largest town and the capital is Thasos, officially known as Limenas Thasou, "Port of Thasos", situated on the northern side. It is connected with the mainland by regular ferry lines between Keramoti and Thasos town, and between the regional centre of Kavala and Skala Prinou.

The most important economic activity on the island is tourism. The main agricultural products are honey, almonds, walnuts, olives (such as the local Throumba variety which has a protected designation of origin), olive oil, and wine. The inhabitants also engage in fishing, and in the herding of sheep and goats.

History

[edit]

Mythology

[edit]

Staphylus (Ancient Greek: Στάφυλος), the beloved son of god Dionysus, lived in Thasos.[3]

Prehistory

[edit]

Lying close to the coast of Eastern Macedonia, Thasos was inhabited from the Palaeolithic period onwards,[4] but the earliest settlement to have been explored in detail is that at Limenaria, where remains from the Middle and Late Neolithic relate closely to those found at the mainland's Drama plain. In contrast, Early Bronze Age remains on the island align it with the Aegean culture of the Cyclades and Sporades, to the south; at Skala Sotiros[5] for example, a small settlement was encircled by a strongly built defensive wall. Even earlier activity is demonstrated by the presence of large pieces of 'megalithic' anthropomorphic stelai built into these walls, which, so far, have no parallels in the Aegean area.

There is then a gap in the archaeological record until the end of the Bronze Age c 1100 BC, when the first burials took place at the large cemetery of Kastri in the interior of the island.[6][7] Here built tombs covered with small mound of earth were typical until the end of the Iron Age. In the earliest tombs were a small number of locally imitated Mycenaean pottery vessels, but the majority of the hand-made pottery with incised decoration reflects connections eastwards with Thrace and beyond.

Antiquity

[edit]
Plan of Thasos
Ancient Agora of Thasos
City walls of Thasos

The island was colonised at an early date by Phoenicians, attracted probably by its gold mines; they founded a temple to the god Melqart, whom the Greeks identified as "Tyrian Heracles", and whose cult was merged with Heracles in the course of the island's Hellenization.[8] The temple still existed in the time of Herodotus.[9] An eponymous Thasos or Thasus, son of Phoenix (or of Agenor, as Pausanias reported) was said to have been the leader of the Phoenicians, and to have given his name to the island.[10]

Around 650 BC, or a little earlier, Greeks from Paros founded a colony on Thasos.[11] A generation or so later, the poet Archilochus, a descendant of these colonists, wrote of casting away his shield during a minor war against an indigenous Thracian tribe, the Saians.[12] Thasian power, and sources of its wealth, extended to the mainland, where the Thasians owned gold mines even more valuable than those of the island; their combined annual revenues amounted to between 200 and 300 talents. Herodotus says that the best mines on the island were those opened by the Phoenicians on the east side of the island, facing Samothrace. Archilochus described Thasos as "an ass's backbone crowned with wild wood." The island's capital, Thasos, had two harbours. Besides its gold mines, the wine, nuts and marble of Thasos were well known in antiquity.[10] Thasian wine was quite famous. Thasian coinage bore images of the wine-god Dionysos and grape bunches.[13]

During the Ionian revolt against Persia, Thasos was under Persian domination. After the capture of Miletus (494 BC), Histiaeus, the Ionian leader, laid siege to Thasos, without success. In response, the Thasians built warships and strengthened their fortifications, but this provoked the suspicions of Darius I of Persia, who compelled them to surrender their ships and pull down their walls.[14] After the defeat of Xerxes I the Thasians joined the Delian League but left in a disagreement over their mainland mines and markets.[10]

Silver tritartemorion struck in Thasos c. 411–404 BC. Satyr on the obverse and dolphins on the reverse

The Athenians eventually defeated Thasos' navy, and took the capital after a two-year siege. The Thasians were made to destroy their walls, surrender their ships and their mainland possessions, and pay a regular indemnity. In 411 BC, during a period of political instability at Athens, Thasos accepted a Lacedaemonian governor; but in 407 BC the partisans of Lacedaemon were expelled, and the Athenians under Thrasybulus were admitted.[10]

After the Battle of Aegospotami (405 BC), Thasos again fell into the hands of the Lacedaemonians under Lysander but the Athenians must have recovered it, for it formed one of the subjects of dispute between them and Philip II of Macedonia. In the embroilment between Philip V of Macedonia and the Romans, Thasos submitted to Philip, but received its freedom at the hands of the Romans after the Battle of Cynoscephalae (197 BC), and it was still a nominally "free" state in the time of Pliny.[10]

Excavations of various island sites between March and May 1887 by Theodore and Mabel Bent uncovered an 'Arch of Caracalla', and the collapsed remains of a unique portrait-statue of the emperor Hadrian's wife, the empress Flavia Vibia Sabina, with an inscription dedicated to her as a "high priestess".[15][16]

Middle Ages

[edit]
Further information: Byzantine Greece and Frankokratia
Byzantine church in Thasos

Thasos was part of the Eastern Roman Empire, now known as the Byzantine Empire, from 395 on. According to the 6th century Synecdemus, it belonged to the province of Macedonia Prima, although the 10th century De thematibus claims that it was part of Thracia.[17] The island was a major source of marble until the disruption of the Slavic invasions in the late 6th/7th centuries, and several churches from Late Antiquity have been found on it.[17] The island remained in Byzantine hands for most of the Middle Ages. It functioned as a naval base in the 13th century, under its own doux, and came briefly under the rule of the Genoese Tedisio Zaccaria in 1307–13. Returning to Byzantine control, its bishopric was raised to an archdiocese by Manuel II Palaiologos. Thasos was captured by the Genoese Gattilusi family c. 1434, who surrendered it to the Ottoman Empire in 1455.[17] Following the Ottoman conquest of the Despotate of the Morea in 1460, the former Despot Demetrios Palaiologos received lands on the island.[17]

It is related that the Byzantine Greek Saint Joannicius the Great (752–846) in one of his miracles freed the island of Thasos from a multitude of snakes.

Ottoman era

[edit]
Further information: Ottoman Greece

Thasos was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1456.[18] Under Ottoman rule, the island was known in Ottoman Turkish as طاشوز - Taşöz. Between 1770 and 1774, the island was briefly occupied by a Russian fleet. By this time its population had gravitated to the inland villages as a protective measure.[19] Nearly 50 years later, a revolt against Ottoman rule arose in 1821, at the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, led by Hatzigiorgis Metaxas, but it failed. The Ottoman Census of 1831 states that the island was populated exclusively by Greeks and that there were 1,821 Greek males fit to fight. This register excluded women, orphans, Christians below the age of puberty, the mentally or physically incapacitated as well as high-ranking officials, so the actual population would have been over double this.[20]

The island had been given in 1813 by the Sultan Mahmud II to the Ottoman Albanian ruler Muhammad Ali of Egypt as a personal fiefdom, as a reward for his intervention against the Wahhabites. The island had functioned as the chief centre of recruitment for Albanians who entered the Egyptian civil service, until 1912.[21] On 20 October 1912 during the First Balkan War, the Greek navy invaded Thasos and annexed it into Greece after more than 350 years of Ottoman Turkish rule.

Modern era

[edit]
Further information: Axis occupation of Greece during World War II
Limenaria in 1950s

During the Axis occupation (April 1941 – October 1944) Thasos, along with the region of East Macedonia and Thrace, was assigned by the Nazis to their Bulgarian allies. The Bulgarian government renamed the island "Tasos" and closed its schools. Thasos' mountainous terrain facilitated resistance activity, mainly led by the left-wing National Liberation Front (EAM). After the end of the war and the withdrawal of Axis troops in 1944, the island was caught up in the Greek Civil War. The leader of the communist naval faction, Sarantis Spintzos, was a native of Thasos.[22] Skirmishes and communist guerilla attacks continued until 1950, almost a year after hostilities had ended on the Greek mainland.

In the post-war decades, another native of Thasos, Costas Tsimas, was to attain national recognition; a friend of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, he was appointed Director of the National Intelligence Service, the first civilian to hold that post.

Thasos, the capital, informally known as Limenas, or "the port", is served by a ferry route to and from Keramoti a port close to Kavala International Airport, and has the shortest possible crossing to the island. Scala Prinos 20 km south of Thassos town is served by a ferry route to and from Kavala.

Administration

[edit]

Thasos is a separate regional unit of the East Macedonia and Thrace region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Thasos was created out of part of the former Kavala Prefecture.[23] The municipality, unchanged at the Kallikratis reform, includes a few uninhabited islets besides the main island Thasos and has an area of 380.097 km2.[24] The province of Thasos (Greek: Επαρχία Θάσου) was one of the provinces of the Kavala Prefecture. It had the same territory as the present municipality.[25] It was abolished in 2006.

Geography

[edit]
Thasos from space, April 1993
Detailed map of Thasos

Thasos is located in the northern Aegean sea approximately 7 km (4 mi) from the northern mainland and 20 kilometres (12 miles) south-east of Kavala. It is of generally round shape, without deep bays or significant peninsulas. The terrain is mountainous but not particularly rugged, rising gradually from coast to centre. The highest peak is Ypsario (Ipsario), at 1,205 metres (3,953 feet), somewhat east of centre. Pine forest covers much of the island's eastern slopes.

Historically, the island's population was chiefly engaged in agriculture and stockbreeding, and established villages inland, some of them connected via stairways (known as skalas) to harbors at the shore. The local population gradually migrated towards these shoreline settlements as tourism began to develop as an important source of income. Thus, there are several "paired villages" such as Maries–Skala Maries, with the former inland and the latter on the coast.

Geology

[edit]
Geological and Metallogenic map of Thasos island.

The island is formed mainly by gneisses, schists and marbles of the Rhodope massif. Marble sequences corresponding to the Falakro marbles intercalated by schists and gneisses, are up to 500 m thick and are separated from the underlying gneisses by a transition zone about 300 m thick.

The rocks have undergone several periods of regional metamorphism, to at least upper amphibolite facies, and there was a subsequent phase of retrograde metamorphism. At least three periods of regional deformation have been identified, the most important being large scale isoclinal folding with axes aligned north-west. The T-zone is deformed and is interpreted by some authors as a regional thrust of pre-major folding age. There are two major high angle fault systems aligned north-west and north-east respectively. A large low-angle thrust cuts the gneiss, schist and marble sequence at the south-west corner of the island, probably indicating an overthrusting of the Serbomacedonian Massif onto the Rodope Massif.

The Late Miocene oil-producing Nestos-Prinos basin is located between Thassos island and the mainland. The floor of the basin is around 1,500 m deep off the Thassos coast (South Kavala ridge; Proedrou, 1988) and up to 4.000–5.000 m in the axial sector between Thassos and the mainland. The basin is filled with Late Miocene-Pliocene sediments, including ubiquitously repeated evaporite layers of rock salt and anhydrite-dolomite that alternate with sandstones, conglomerates, black shales, and uraniferous coal measures (Proedrou, 1979, 1988; Taupitz, 1985). Stratigraphically equivalent rocks on the mainland are clastic sediments with coal beds, marine to brackish fluvial units and travertines.

Mining history

[edit]

The earliest mining on the island has been dated to around 13,000 BC, when paleolithic miners dug a shaft at the site of the modern-era Tzines iron mine for the extraction of limonitic ochre.[26] Mining for base and precious metals started around the 7th century BC with the Phoenicians, followed in the 4th century by the Greeks, then the Romans. These later mines were both open-cast and underground, mostly to exploit the island's numerous karst hosted calamine deposits for their lead and silver. Gold, copper and iron were also found; the Byzantines quarried marble on the island.

In the early 20th century, mining companies (most notably the Speidel mining company) exploited the island's zinc-lead rich calamine ores, with a yield of around 2 million tonnes, and a processing plant at Limenaria produced zinc oxide. Iron ore was mined on a significant scale from 1954 to 1964, with a yield of around 3 million tonnes. Since 1964, surveys have established the existence of a deep-level zinc-lead deposit, but the only mining activity on the island has been marble quarrying.

  • Lead-zinc mine at Sellada
    Lead-zinc mine at Sellada
  • Iron mine of Koupanada
    Iron mine of Koupanada
  • Gold mine
    Gold mine
  • Iron mine at Tzines, with paleolithic mine-tunnel
    Iron mine at Tzines, with paleolithic mine-tunnel
  • Marble quarry of Alyki
    Marble quarry of Alyki

Climate

[edit]

Thasos has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa in the Köppen climate classification) with mild winters and hot summers.

Climate data for Thasos
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.8
(67.6) 		20.4
(68.7) 		23.6
(74.5) 		27.3
(81.1) 		30.9
(87.6) 		35.7
(96.3) 		37.2
(99.0) 		39.0
(102.2) 		36.1
(97.0) 		30.0
(86.0) 		25.3
(77.5) 		20.9
(69.6) 		39.0
(102.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 10.5
(50.9) 		12.2
(54.0) 		14.3
(57.7) 		18.5
(65.3) 		23.7
(74.7) 		28.3
(82.9) 		31.2
(88.2) 		32.1
(89.8) 		27.1
(80.8) 		20.9
(69.6) 		16.6
(61.9) 		12.5
(54.5) 		20.7
(69.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 7.3
(45.1) 		8.8
(47.8) 		10.7
(51.3) 		14.2
(57.6) 		19.2
(66.6) 		23.7
(74.7) 		26.4
(79.5) 		27.3
(81.1) 		22.8
(73.0) 		17.2
(63.0) 		13.4
(56.1) 		9.5
(49.1) 		16.7
(62.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.1
(39.4) 		5.3
(41.5) 		7.0
(44.6) 		9.9
(49.8) 		14.7
(58.5) 		19.1
(66.4) 		21.6
(70.9) 		22.4
(72.3) 		18.4
(65.1) 		13.4
(56.1) 		10.2
(50.4) 		6.4
(43.5) 		12.7
(54.9)
Record low °C (°F) −4.8
(23.4) 		−3.8
(25.2) 		−2.6
(27.3) 		2.3
(36.1) 		8.9
(48.0) 		11.4
(52.5) 		16.3
(61.3) 		17.8
(64.0) 		9.3
(48.7) 		6.6
(43.9) 		1.2
(34.2) 		−3.3
(26.1) 		−4.8
(23.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 112.3
(4.42) 		55.7
(2.19) 		74.1
(2.92) 		48.7
(1.92) 		41.2
(1.62) 		57.5
(2.26) 		17.5
(0.69) 		15.6
(0.61) 		30.0
(1.18) 		71.2
(2.80) 		128.5
(5.06) 		142.3
(5.60) 		794.6
(31.27)
Source 1: National Observatory of Athens Monthly Bulletins (Dec 2014 - Sep 2023) [27]
Source 2: Thasos N.O.A station [28] and World Meteorological Organization[29]

Economy

[edit]
Throumba olives on sale at a supermarket

By far the most important economic activity is tourism. The main agricultural products on the island are honey, almonds, walnuts, olives (such as the local Throumba variety which has a protected designation of origin), olive oil, and wine. The inhabitants also engage in the herding of sheep and goats, and fishing.[30] Other industries are lumber and mining which includes lead, zinc, and marble, especially in the Panagia area where one of the mountains near the Thracian Sea has a large marble quarry. The marble quarries in the south (in the area of Aliki), now abandoned, were mined during ancient times.

Localities

[edit]
Panagia village

Towns and villages with over 100 inhabitants (2021 census) are:[2]

Traditional village of Theologos

Historical population

[edit]
Year Town Municipality
1981 2,312 –
1991 2,600 –
2001 3,140 13,765
2011 3,240 13,770
2021 3,331 13,104

Sights

[edit]
Kouros at the Archaeological Museum of Thasos
Polygnotos Vagis Municipal Museum in Potamia
Paradisos beach
  • Archaeological Museum of Thasos and the nearby ancient agora in Thasos town
  • Acropolis of Thasos and ancient theater near Thasos town
  • Polygnotos Vagis Municipal Museum in Potamia
  • Folklore Museum of Limenaria
  • Archangel Michael's Monastery
  • Saint Panteleimon Monastery: it was built in 1843 and became monastery in 1987. According to inhabitants of Thassos, someone wanted to build it in favor of Saint Panteleimon. The workers started the building at a location, but the next day when they wanted to continue with the construction, the part they had built was found destroyed and their tools were missing. The same happened on the following days. One day they saw footprints on the ground and followed them until they found their tools nearby a natural spring. Finally, they built the monastery at that spot.
  • Monastery of the Assumption
  • Kastro: its foundation year is unknown. This village must have been created during the years of Frankish domination.
  • Krambousa Isle: it can be found across the coast of Skala Potamia. The thick vegetation makes it impossible to explore all parts of it. It is full with a special wild vegetable called "Krambi". The little church of Saint Daniel is located at the top of the hill. The inhabitants visit this church on the day of the saint every year.
  • Mount Ypsario (Ipsario) 1,203 meters (3,947 ft)
  • Artificial Lake in Maries

Notable people

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "Municipality of Thassos, Municipal elections – October 2023". Ministry of Interior.
  2. ^ a b "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  3. ^ Suda, § th.59
  4. ^ Papadopoulos S., "Recent Field Investigations in Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age Thasos", International Symposium in Memoriam Mieczislaw Domaradzki, Kazanlak, Archaeological Institute of Sofia, Kazanluk, (in press)
  5. ^ Κουκούλη Χ.- Χρυσανθάκη, "Ανασκαφή Σκάλας Σωτήρος Θάσου", Το Αρχαιολογικό Έργο στη Μακεδονία και Θράκη, 1, ((1987), 1988, 391–406, 2 (1988), 1991, 421–431, 3 (1989), 1992, 507–520, 4 (1990), 1993, 531–545).
  6. ^ Chaidou Koukouli-Chrysanthaki: Πρωτοιστορική Θάσος. Τα νεκροταφεία του οικισμού Κάστρι, Μερος Α και Β, Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού, Δυμοσιέυματα του αρχαιολογικού Δελτίου Αρ. 45, ISBN 960-214-107-7
  7. ^ Agelarakis A., "Reflections of the Human Condition in Prehistoric Thasos: Aspects of the Anthropological and Palaeopathological Record from the Settlement of Kastri". Actes du Colloque International Matières prèmieres et Technologie de la Préhistoire à nos jours, Limenaria, Thasos. The French Archaeological Institute in Greece, 1999. 447–468.
  8. ^ Pausanias, 5.25.12. "The Thasians, who are Phoenicians by descent, and sailed from Tyre, and from Phoenicia generally, together with Thasos, the son of Agenor, in search of Europa, dedicated at Olympia a Herakles, the pedestal as well as the image being of bronze. The height of the image is ten cubits, and he holds a club in his right hand and a bow in his left. They told me in Thasos that they used to worship the same Heracles as the Tyrians, but that afterwards, when they were included among the Greeks, they adopted the worship of Heracles the son of Amphitryon."
  9. ^ Herodotus. Histories, 2.44. "In the wish to get the best information that I could on these matters, I made a voyage to Tyre in Phoenicia, hearing there was a temple of Heracles at that place, very highly venerated. I visited the temple, and found it richly adorned with a number of offerings, among which were two pillars, one of pure gold, the other of smaragdos, shining with great brilliancy at night. In a conversation I held with the priests, I inquired how long their temple had been built, and found by their answer that they, too, differed from the Hellenes. They said that the temple was built at the same time that the city was founded, and that the foundation of the city took place 2,300 years ago. In Tyre I remarked another temple where the same god was worshipped as the Thasian Heracles. So I went on to Thasos, where I found a temple of Heracles, which had been built by the Phoenicians who colonised that island when they sailed in search of Europa. Even this was five generations earlier than the time when Heracles, son of Amphitryon, was born in Hellas. These researches show plainly that there is an ancient god Heracles; and my own opinion is that those Hellenes act most wisely who build and maintain two temples of Heracles, in the one of which the Heracles worshipped is known by the name of Olympian, and has sacrifice offered to him as an immortal, while in the other the honours paid are such as are due to a hero."
  10. ^ a b c d e Chisholm 1911, p. 727.
  11. ^ AJ Graham,"The Foundation of Thasos", The Annual of the British School at Athens, Vol. 73 (1978), pp. 61-98.
  12. ^ Zafeiropoulou F., A., Agelarakis, "Warriors of Paros". Archaeology 58.1(2005): 30–35.
  13. ^ Hugh Johnson, Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 39. Simon and Schuster 1989
  14. ^ Agelarakis A., – Y., Serpanos "Auditory Exostoses, Infracranial Skeleto-Muscular Changes and Maritime Activities in Classical Period Thasos Island", Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2010, 45–57.
  15. ^ Sheila Dillon, The Female Portrait Statue in the Greek World, 147-149, 278. Cambridge University Press (2010).
  16. ^ See also Mabel Bent’s diary, January 1888, Istanbul, The Travel Chronicles of Mrs J. Theodore Bent, Vol. 1, p.230 (Oxford, 2006).
  17. ^ a b c d Gregory, Timothy E.; Cutler, Anthony (1991). "Thasos". In Kazhdan, Alexander (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. London and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 2031. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6.
  18. ^ Somel, Selçuk Akşin, The A to Z of the Ottoman Empire, p. 103, Scarecrow Press, Mar 23, 2010
  19. ^ "Greek Islands:Thassos". Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  20. ^ Kemal Karpat (1985), Ottoman Population, 1830-1914, Demographic and Social Characteristics, The University of Wisconsin Press, p. 9 & 114
  21. ^ Kamusella, Tomasz (2023). "Central Europe's Limits in the North and the South". Acta Slavica Iaponica. 44. Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University: 83–112. ISSN 0288-3503.
  22. ^ Κώστας Τσίμας, Σελίδες Ζωής: Αγώνες για την Ελευθερία και τη Δημοκρατία, 2004, σελίδες 36-40
  23. ^ "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  24. ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
  25. ^ "Detailed census results 1991" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. (39 MB) (in Greek and French)
  26. ^ Kovkouli et al. 1988.
  27. ^ "Meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα".
  28. ^ "Latest Conditions in Thasos".
  29. ^ "World Meteorological Organization". Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  30. ^ "Why is Thassos important". thassos-dream.gr. Economy. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  31. ^ "Aglaophon". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Ancientlibrary.com. p. 74 (v. 1). Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2012-10-26.

References

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  • Agelarakis A., "Linen Thread Fragment". Ed. Chi. Koukouli-Chrysanthaki. "Proto-Historic Thasos", Archaeologiko Deltio 2.45 (1992–1993): 803
  • Agelarakis A., "Investigations of Archaeo-Anthropological Nature at the Classical Necropolis of the Island of Thasos between 1979–1996", Archaiologiko Ergo sti Makedonia kai Thraki, 10B (1997): 770–794.
  • Agelarakis A., "On the Anthropological and Palaeopathological Records of a Select Number of Human Individuals from the Ancient Necropolis of Thasos Island". In <Jewelry from Thasian Graves> by Sgourou M., BSA 96 (2001): 355–364.
  • Agelarakis A., "Investigations of Physical Anthropology & Palaeopathology at the Ancient Necropolis of Thasos", In M. Sgourou, Excavating houses and graves: exploring aspects of everyday life and afterlife in ancient Thasos, BAR International series 1031 (2002): 12–19.
  • Antje and Günther Schwab: Thassos – Samothraki, 1999, ISBN 3-932410-30-0.
  • N. Epitropou et al.: "The discovery of primary stratabound Pb – Zn mineralization at Thassos Island", L' Industria Mineraria n. 4, 1982.
  • N. Epitropou, D. Konstantinides, D. Bitzios: "The Mariou Pb – Zn Mineralization of the Thassos Island Greece.", Mineral deposits of the Alps and of Alpine Epoch in Europe ed. by H. J. Echneibert, Spring – Verlag Berlin Heilderberg, 1983.
  • N. Epitropou et al.: "Le mineralizzazioni carsiche a Pb – Zn dell' isola di Thassos, Grecia.", Mem. Soc. Geol. H. 22, 1981, pp. 139–143.
  • Omenetto P., Epitropou N., Konstantinides D.: "The base metal sulphides of W. Thassos Island in the Geological Metallogenic Frame work of Rhodope and Surrounding Regions.", International Earth Sciences Congress on AEGEAN Regions, 1–6 October 1990, İzmir -Turkey.
  • Epitropou N., Omenetto P., Constantinides D., "Μineralizations a Pb – Zn comparables au type ' Mississippi Valley'. L'example de l'ile de Thassos ( Macedoine, Grece du Nord)", MVT WORKSHOP, Paris, France, 1993.
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Thasos". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 727–728.
Inscriptions
  • Hamon, Patrice (2019). Corpus des inscriptions de Thasos III: Documents publics du quatrième siècle et de l'époque hellénistique. Athènes: École française d'Athènes. ISBN 978-2-86958-305-4.
  • Fournier, Julien (2023). Corpus des inscriptions de Thasos V: Documents publics d'époque romaine Ier s. av. J.-C. - IVe s. apr. J.-C. Athenes: École française d'Athènes. ISBN 9782869585874.
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